The Rules of Splendor

Welcome to the world of Splendor! In this game, you will embark on a journey to become the most renowned and successful merchant in the Renaissance. I will guide you through the rules and provide you with some tips to help you on your path to glory.

The objective of Splendor is to accumulate the most prestige points by collecting gem tokens and purchasing development cards. The game is played over a series of rounds, each consisting of three phases: taking gem tokens, purchasing development cards, and reserving development cards.

During the first phase, you have the option to either take gem tokens or reserve a development card. Gem tokens come in five different colors: diamond, sapphire, emerald, onyx, and ruby. You can take either three different colored tokens or two tokens of the same color. These tokens will be used to purchase development cards in the next phase.

The second phase is where you will spend your gem tokens to purchase development cards. Development cards are divided into three tiers, and each card has a gem cost and prestige point value. The higher the tier, the more expensive and valuable the cards become. Purchasing development cards will provide you with permanent gem bonuses and prestige points.

In the final phase, you have the option to reserve a development card from the table. Reserved cards can be purchased later, and reserving cards will also grant you a gold joker token, which can be used as a wild card when purchasing development cards.

It’s important to consider your strategy when playing Splendor. You can focus on buying the higher tier cards for more prestige points or reserve the cards that your opponents need to slow them down. Knowing when to reserve, when to take gem tokens, and when to purchase cards is essential for success.

Remember, in Splendor, every decision matters. Your choices will shape your path to victory, so think carefully and plan ahead. The player with the most prestige points at the end of the game wins!

With these rules in mind, you are now ready to embark on your journey to become a legendary merchant in Splendor. Good luck and enjoy the game!

In the game, we start by shuffling each deck of development cards separately. Then, we place them in a column in the middle of the table, with the cards arranged in increasing order from bottom to top. The levels are labeled 1, 2, and 3.

After setting up the development cards, we reveal 4 cards from each level. This gives us a total of 12 cards to choose from.

Next, we shuffle the noble tiles and reveal a number of them equal to the number of players plus one. For example, if there are 4 players, we reveal 5 noble tiles.

Any remaining noble tiles are removed from the game and won’t be used during gameplay. Finally, we place the gem tokens in 6 separate piles, sorted by color, within easy reach of the players.

Game With 2 Players

• Each gem color has 4 tokens, except for gold, which remains unchanged.
• We reveal 3 noble tiles at the beginning of the game.

Game With 3 Players

• Each gem color has 5 tokens, except for gold.

Welcome to the World of Board Games

Board games have a rich and fascinating history. They have been enjoyed by people of all ages for centuries. Playing board games is a great way to have fun, challenge yourself, and spend quality time with family and friends. If you’re looking for a new board game to play, let’s explore the exciting world of board games together!

What Makes a Board Game Great?

When I sit down to play a board game, I want to be captivated by the game’s design, strategy, and theme. A great board game should have engaging mechanics that keep me coming back for more. It should offer a unique and immersive experience that allows me to explore different strategies and make meaningful decisions. A good board game strikes a balance between luck and skill, creating a sense of excitement and unpredictability.

Another key aspect of a great board game is its components and artwork. From the game board and cards to the tokens and miniatures, the components should be of high quality and visually appealing. The artwork should draw me into the game’s world and ignite my imagination. A well-crafted board game is a work of art that enhances the overall experience.

Choosing Your Perfect Board Game

So, you’re ready to dive into the world of board games and find the perfect one for you. Where do you start? The first step is to consider your interests and gaming preferences. Are you a fan of fantasy or sci-fi? Do you enjoy cooperative or competitive gameplay? Are you looking for a quick and easy-to-learn game or a complex and strategic one? Answering these questions will help you narrow down your options and find a game that suits your taste.

Next, think about the number of players you typically have. Some games are designed for two players, while others are best with a larger group. It’s important to choose a game that can accommodate your usual gaming sessions.

Reviews and recommendations are also valuable resources when choosing a board game. Hearing from experienced players can give you insights into a game’s mechanics, replayability, and overall enjoyment. Online communities and board game forums are great places to seek advice and discover hidden gems.

Let the Games Begin!

Now that you have a better understanding of what makes a board game great and how to choose the right one for you, it’s time to start your board game journey. Whether you’re playing with your family, friends, or joining a board game meetup, remember to have fun and embrace the joy of playing. Adventure awaits!

Example: If you buy this card, you’ll earn 4 prestige points.

Holding this card lets you benefit from a blue bonus. To get it, you’ll need to spend 3 blue tokens, 3 black tokens, and 6 white tokens.

The Fancy Tiles

The fancy tiles sit in the middle of the table for everyone to see. At the end of your turn, you’ll automatically get a visit from a fancy person if you have the right bonuses (and only the bonuses) needed. If you do, you’ll receive the corresponding tile.

You can’t say no to a visit from a fancy person.

Getting a fancy tile doesn’t count as your action. Each fancy tile is worth 3 prestige points, but you’re only allowed to pick one per turn.

Here’s how it goes: If you get this noble’s tile, you’ll earn 3 prestige points.

You can earn a visit from the noble if you collect 3 blue bonuses, 3 green bonuses, and 3 white bonuses with your development cards.

Watch the Tutorial

Let’s Play!

We’re starting with the youngest player, and then we’ll go clockwise.

Now, it’s your turn. You can choose one of these four actions:

• Pick 3 gem tokens of different colors.
• Pick 2 gem tokens of the same color. You can only do this if there are at least 4 tokens of that color available.
• Reserve 1 development card and take 1 gold token (also known as a joker).
• Buy 1 face-up development card from the middle of the table or one that you’ve previously reserved.

Choosing Tokens

When I play the game, I can’t have more than 10 tokens at the end of my turn, including jokers. If I have more than 10, I need to give some back until I only have 10 left. I can choose which tokens to return, and I can give back all or just some of the ones I just drew. It’s important that everyone can see the tokens I have at all times.

Note: You can’t take two tokens of the same color if there are less than four available.

How to Reserve a Development Card

To reserve a card, all you need to do is either take a development card that is face-up in the middle of the table or draw the top card from one of the three decks (level 1, level 2, or level 3) without showing it to anyone else.

Once you reserve a card, you keep it in your hand and cannot get rid of it. Keep in mind that you can only have a maximum of three reserved cards in your hand. The only way to remove a card from your hand is to buy it.

Reserving a card is also the only way to obtain a gold token, also known as a joker. If there are no gold tokens left, you can still reserve a card, but you won’t receive any gold tokens.

How to Buy a Development Card

If you want to buy a card, you have to pay the number of tokens shown on the card. If you have a joker token, you can use it instead of any color. After you buy a card, the tokens you used (including any jokers) go back to the middle of the table.

You can buy a card from the ones face-up in the middle of the table, or you can buy one that you previously reserved. You can only buy one card per turn.

When you get a new card, you have to arrange it in your personal rows. You should sort the cards by color and put them on top of each other so that their bonuses and prestige point values are visible.

In the game, everyone should be able to see the bonuses and prestige points that each card gives.

Keep in mind that when a card from the middle of the table is taken or reserved, it needs to be replaced with another card of the same level right away.

Throughout the game, there should be 4 face-up cards of each level on the table, unless the deck is empty. In that case, the empty spaces should stay empty.

The Benefits

The bonuses earned from previous turns can be used to get discounts on new cards. Each bonus of a certain color is worth one token of that color.

So, if you have 2 blue bonuses and you want to buy a card that costs 2 blue tokens and 1 green token, you’ll only need to spend 1 green token.

If you have enough development cards, you can buy a card without using any tokens.

The Nobles

After your turn ends, check the noble tiles to see if you’re getting a visit from one of them. You can only be visited if you have the right number and type of bonuses as indicated on the noble tile.

You can’t say no to a noble’s visit; it’s not considered an action.

If you have enough bonuses to be visited by more than one noble, you get to choose which one you receive.

Place the received tile face-up in front of you.

End of the Game

Once you accumulate 15 prestige points, finish the ongoing round so that all players have taken the same number of turns.

The player with the most prestige points at that moment is crowned the champion (remember to tally up your nobles). If there’s a tie, the player who has bought the fewest development cards emerges victorious.